The Seeing Stones
by Trollmela
Summary: After his coronation, Elessar asks Maedhros to teach him how to better use the Palantíri. Maedhros, however, makes an astonishing discovery when he realizes that one of the Seeing Stones presumed lost is actually still working. (Part of the Lingering series)
1. Chapter 1

_People who have read a few stories of mine know what I'm going to write here: thanks goes to my beta, HaloFin17. It doesn't stop being true after the tenth or the twentieth story. Halo, I'm grateful for your insight, your ideas which inspire me, your input and comments, and my readers will (should) thank you for fewer grammar errors! And the absence of Legolas._

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

"I thought it right to show you, your highness, as these Stones were crafted by your father. It has been of great use to Gondor and Arnor, yet also led to ill events. I do not wish to pressure you either way, I only give you the option of taking them back."

There were two, sitting uncovered side by side. Their surfaces shone like the way they had fresh out of his father's workshop.

"Take them back?" Maedhros considered it and discarded the idea swiftly. "I had not thought of it before, nor do I believe that I will have any use for them. You, however, have inherited a vast realm; Arnor is far from Gondor, and I hope that you will strive to make the land inhabitable again. The Seeing Stone can serve you well then."

"True." After some pondering, King Elessar asked: "Have you ever used the Stones yourself?"

"Long ago in Valinor after my father had finished them and later, too. He gave them to myself and my brothers and had us spread out all over the isle to try them out. And after, when we were in Middle-earth, we used them to keep watch against the Enemy and to communicate with one another. But I haven't used them since the Second Age after Makalaurë gave them to Gil-galad. I never visited the Stone of Elostirion as some elves do to see a glimpse of Valinor."

"Would your highness be willing to teach me how to use it then? It's true that I bent it to my will and wrestled it thus from Sauron's, but still I feel as if my hold on it is precarious, and I have so far not dared look whether I can find the other Stones, which we believe to be lost."

"Indeed, that may take much will and power which you are better served using in your other duties. With your permission, I will familiarize myself with them again. Perhaps I can even answer your question on the remaining Stones, if there are any. I would then be better equipped to teach you to use the Stones to their full effect."

Elessar bowed.

"You have my permission to use these Stones however you see fit. You have Gondor's hospitality however long you wish it."

The Estel Maedhros had met not so long ago had grown into this serious man. The loss of his childish innocence was no cause for sadness in Maedhros' opinion. The redhead saw much of Elrond's and Elros' wisdom in him. Elros' line ran in him almost more true than in most of Aragorn's ancestors, and Elrond had imparted his own knowledge upon his fosterling through years of teaching. In a way, Elrond had paid for that kindness with the life of his daughter. Maedhdros's heart ached for Elrond and his sons, and his own brother, too, who had favored Arwen since her birth as the daughter he had never had. Nevertheless he did not condemn Aragorn.

"Certainly. I believe my brother would also be most glad to spend more time with Arwen."

"He is, of course, also very welcome."

There were now two Stones for Maedhros to experiment with, and neither one seemed to him untainted. One had been in Saruman's possession for years and used to plot Middle-earth's doom with Sauron; the other had also been so close to the Stone that the Enemy had captured that it had driven the Steward Denethor mad.

In the end, Maedhros took the Anor Stone in hand first, named for its location in the city of Minas Anor which was now called Minas Tirith. He centered his mind and carefully directed his focus at the Palantír. The first image he was shown was of a man, old and wizened, who had his hands wrapped around the Palantír in despair. He was in the throes of death, and Maedhros guessed that this was Denethor. He was surprised that the Stone would retain this image and probed it further with his mind. The image vanished; at least the Stone had not been rendered completely useless. Maedhros saw Minas Tirith instead, and with some targeted thoughts he managed to steer the image of the Palantír at his will to see more and more of the realm of Gondor.

In Valinor, each individual Stone had been capable of showing its user the entire realm. Daring Curunir had tried to look into Mahal's halls once, but that had been barred to him. The eagles on Manwë's mountains, however, those he had been able to see very clearly. None of them had ever dared to look into the halls of Námo.

Later, in Middle-earth they had stretched the Palantír's capacity to its very limit and that of their own strength. His father's intent had not been that the Palantíri be used for an extended time but rather for quick communication. Using it at length could induce quite a headache as Maedhros remembered. Such feelings and thoughts could even be transmitted to another person using a different Stone without meaning to, or they could be deliberately accessed by force. Maedhros wondered whether his father had considered or intended all of that when crafting the Palantíri.

An unexpected pang of homesickness caught him so off guard that his focus broke and he saw Denethor again. Maedhros put the Stone down.

"What did you see?"

Maedhros looked up. While he had been focused on the Palantír and unaware, his brother Maglor had entered the room.

The older brother sighed. "The former Steward dying. The Palantír is not completely broken, as it still shows me Gondor when I will it to."

"Then it is no longer connected to the Ithil Stone?"

"It appears so, but I haven't checked on that or any of the other Palantíri yet."

"It's been long since we last touched them," Maglor voiced his thought.

"Indeed."

"Do you think mother still has the Palantír father gave her before we left?"

Maedhros shrugged. "Perhaps. But whether she can see us, we never figured out when the Stones were still ours."

Maglor looked thoughtful. Maedhros himself had never tried to contact her using the Palantír that had been at his disposal. The one time he had tentatively tried to look West, back in the First Age, it had taken much of his will, and the brief look at Manwë's mountains had discouraged him very quickly. An eagle had looked straight back at him with an all-too-knowing look in its eyes.

"Will you test them with me?" he asked his brother. "I want to make certain that the Anor Stone and the Orthanc Stone still connect to each other easily for communication."

"Certainly. Does King Elessar have plans for them?"

"Not per se. He offered to return them to us, but I declined. I don't think we will have any use for them."

Maglor nodded in agreement. He had been silent of late regarding their future, and Maedhros had a feeling that his brother was planning to take the risk and sail West with Elrond, Galadriel and Gandalf, provided, of course, that they allowed his company.

"I will take the Orthanc Stone out tomorrow morning then, and once out of the city I will contact you."

"Make sure to find a safe place. The Palantír requires too much focus to keep watch for orcs or any other enemy at the same time."

Finding a safe place was easier said than done, and thus Maedhros took a small group of Gondorian soldiers with him who were to take watch while he was otherwise occupied. They found a deserted farm house not far from the city, its owner having perhaps perished in the war. Maedhros made a mental note to notify the king of its empty state; many people had been displaced by the war, and someone might breathe new life into this building if its previous occupant did not return.

The Orthanc Stone showed no defect, not even a trace of Saruman's or Sauron's evil plots and sorcery. He did not need much strength to direct the Palantír to connect with the Anor Stone, and soon he saw his brother in his mind in Minas Tirith.

"Is Arwen standing behind you?" he asked.

"Aye," Maglor confirmed. "She was curious to see the Palantíri in action, and I didn't see any reason to deny her."

"I can see very clearly then."

"Good. I, however, had the same sensation as you yesterday and saw Denthor in his death throes. Perhaps with enough strength of will this may be rectified."

"Do you wish to try? I will meanwhile try to connect to any of the other Stones. Perhaps a Stone or two may be recovered."

"Possibly, but I suggest you do it while in Minas Tirith. Finding a probably destroyed Palantír may exhaust you and take more time than your Gondorian guard is willing to stand by and wait."

It turned out that this was good advice, for when Maedhros later reached out first to the Osgiliath Stone, which was said to have been lost in the Andúin when the city burned during the civil war, he found not the familiar emptiness that he had expected of a destroyed Palantír but rather a very muted presence. Without hesitating, he bent his will towards that Palantír; even so, he was still surprised to feel the fog lift and the sensation of water surrounding him.

Although Maedhros and probably most other users of the Palantíri said that they "saw" something in the Stone, it was not so much an image which was physically present in the Stone and visible to anyone who happened to take a look at it in passing. The seeing happened in the mind more than anywhere else. So although he had been able to see Arwen behind his brother, she would not have seen him if she had not been touching Maglor and thus been sharing his sight in the Palantír.

Maedhros saw plants and gray sand shimmering in the sun, suggesting that the Palantír was under water but not far from the surface. He directed the Stone to show him more of its surroundings and was rewarded with the surface, a river and an old dam. Further, however, was not possible, which to Maedhros was not a great tragedy. For now he had seen enough, and he needed to find an artist.

The King looked at the sketch Maedhros presented him with great interest.

"It must be the Andúin, since that is where the Stone was lost. But where exactly this scene is I cannot say; it is not familiar to me, although I went down the Andúin only recently."

"It might have been night when you passed it. But I actually disagree: this river looks too small to be the Andúin proper where the ships pass through; it looks more like a brook, possibly a sidearm of the Andúin too small to be mentioned in the great maps you have here. Unfortunately the scene is not very distinct; such trees can probably be found anywhere. I suppose there is no other way to find the Palantír but to follow the Andúin on both sides and each of its outlets until the Stone is found."

"Is that wise, your Highness?" Aragorn looked doubtful. "The Palantír should not be tampered with, and Gondor has no need of another Seeing Stone."

"That may be true," Maedhros replied gravely. "But the greater danger lies in another than ourselves finding the Palantír. Think of the One Ring which lay at the bottom of a river and yet was found by one who should not have found it at all. It was our luck that Gollum did find it, but imagine an enemy of Gondor finding this Seeing Stone and using it for purposes that could harm your realm! No, we have a lead, and we should follow it as best as we can."

"I must concur with Prince Nelyafinwë," Arwen agreed. "The Seeing Stone is better kept in safe hands; we must only remember Saruman to know that any Palantíri that might still be functioning are better not forgotten."

"Then so be it," Aragorn said. "I suggest that you ask Faramir to come with you. He knows these lands like few others and would be of great help to you."

Maedhros had already met Faramir and found no reason to argue. Maglor hadn't said a word, and after they had left the study, his brother said:

"If you have no need of me, I would be content to stay here in Minas Tirith."

"I had expected that, to be honest. I think it's time we spoke of our plans for the upcoming Fourth Age, and I believe that you already have a firm idea of where you plan to go."

Maglor lowered his head, and Maedhros could not see his face. When his brother looked up and spoke, his expression spoke of anguish.

"Aye, you know me, brother, perhaps better than I know myself. Elrond, Galadriel and the two remaining wizards have already agreed to make preparations to sail no later than three years hence. I have asked Elrond and the others to be allowed on board of that ship, and they have agreed to take whatever risk there is in having me as a companion."

"I had thought so when you didn't go to Rivendell with Elrond. Your heart is stronger in this than his, and you can bear to see his daughter live a mortal life."

The Valar knew how many losses they had suffered and survived!

"And you, brother? What were your thoughts?"

"I'm not yet ready."

Maglor's face fell. Although he should have been prepared, it was still a disappointment.

"That is not to say that I will never sail!" Maedhros alleviated. "Indeed I have changed my mind since we last spoke about it, and if you brave the crossing, I would be worse than a coward not to follow you. If we are not reunited in Valinor, then we shall be in the Halls of Waiting or wherever else Lord Namo sends us!"

"When do you plan to sail? Perhaps I will remain here that long then-"

"No, Maglor, you go with our son. I shall follow you when my time has come."

"Very well," Maglor gave in.

"Spend your time with Arwen, for we won't see her again until the world comes to an end. I will go on Elessar's mission with others. And after, at least I will go north again, and if I get lonely there, I will ask Elladan and Elrohir if I may dwell in Imladris."

"For that last trip north I will accompany you. Until then, I remain here in Minas Tirith."

* * *

 _Thank you for reading, comments are always welcome! There will be two more chapters, coming as soon as I have time to edit them._


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Faramir had returned from Edoras not long ago, while his intended, Éowyn of Rohan, had remained with her brother, where she would stay until her wedding. Maedhros had been introduced to the new steward of Gondor and found him to be a quiet man not predisposed to war, but not as incapable at it as his father had made him believe; he was intelligent and open-minded, the most important characteristics to learn; and although he had been quietly amazed at the parade of elves he had so recently been introduced to—Maedhros deduced that, as a child, Faramir had admired the elven race and painted them as a glorious picture full of unattainable wisdom—he had not sunken to mindless fawning. In the end, he was no longer a child and judged the elves he met with a keen eye. Maedhros had seen the realization in the man's eye regarding his identity when they were introduced, but that knowledge had not hampered Faramir in their dealings.

"Prince Nelyafinwë." Faramir bowed. "My King Elessar has already told me that you would speak to me about a mission."

"Indeed," Maedhros replied, taking the chair on the other side of the Steward's desk. What, if anything, had changed in the room since Faramir's father had died, he did not know; it did not suit the man. Maedhros had a small idea of what it was like to succeed to a position one had never believed to attain. It had come to his own father's mind rather late that their journey to Middle-earth and presence there were highly perilous, and that he might very well die and should thus prepare his heir for that time.

"Has the King given you any details?"

"No, your Highness."

Maedhros hummed, studying the man with a close eye. That Faramir's father had succumbed to using the Palantír, one forbidden to him, did not speak well for him, but Faramir was said to have shown more courage in the face of his enemy and, most importantly, more wisdom even for his relatively young age. And besides, the man would not be with him to actually _use_ or even touch the Palantíri himself.

"King Elessar has asked my help with the Palantíri, which, as I'm sure you know, were made by my father. We discovered signs that the Seeing Stone which was long ago kept in Osgiliath was not permanently destroyed but rather… lost in the Andúin where it still appears to be. You know that area like no other." Maedhros paused.

Faramir had straightened in his chair, and his expression had turned from pleasantly polite to stern seriousness.

"You are to come with me to retrieve it, if that can be done," Maedhros finished. He unrolled the drawing of the scene he had seen and laid it down on Faramir's table. "This is what I saw of the Stone's surroundings. Perhaps you know this place, or if you don't, we will travel as far down as the sea to find it. The Stone is not far from the surface of the water. It would be detrimental if it fell into any hands other than ours."

"I see," Faramir said gravely. He studied the drawing intently, closing his eyes from time to time as if to recall memories buried deep. Finally he sighed and shook his head. "I'm not completely certain, but this does not appear to be big enough to be the Andúin itself."

"I agree. It has to be a creek flowing into the Andúin or something of that nature. A smaller tributary which is perhaps not even mentioned on the large maps of the river."

Faramir frowned. "Those maps should have been corrected long ago. Some of the smaller creeks only developed in recent times."

"And it was not deemed to be of import even for the military?" Maedhros asked with raised eyebrows.

"No," the man replied shortly.

"Since you are Steward now, it would be within your competencies to ensure that the maps are corrected. But that is a different matter. I ask you, Faramir, will you come with me to search for the Palantír?"

"Aye, I will," Faramir replied without hesitation. "How many men do you plan to bring with you?"

"A small group will suffice. The fewer people know of our mission, the better. The Palantíri are not a child's toy, as recent events have shown. I need people to protect me in particular when I search for it with one of the other Seeing Stones that we have gathered. In case its position has changed or to see more of it, I will take one with me, and I am nearly defenseless when I look within it. You will act as my guide and trusted right hand. Especially seeing as I lack it, I have need of one." Maedhros smirked.

Faramir nodded, not showing any humor at the joke.

"I will serve you as I would serve my King," he promised.

"Then choose a group of fifteen to twenty of trustworthy men who are willing to come with us and be ready with them two days hence."

* * *

The group that Maedhros found himself leading was a mix of rangers and cavalry soldiers. Faramir made no comment on how easy or difficult it had been to find men willing to come with them. Maedhros had heard that Faramir was beloved by his people, and where an elf went, Gondorians were eager to go along to get to know the–to them–strange race. They were all men of duty, however, and although some seemed very young, they all behaved with respect towards him and made no attempt to annoy him.

Maedhros had more important things to do anyhow. Maglor had, as agreed, stayed behind and bidden him a temporary farewell with Arwen and King Elessar. One of the Seeing Stones was safely stored in Maedhros' saddle bags. For today, their first day, they would not get very far down the River and not reach any tributaries, according to Faramir. The night they planned to spend behind the ruins of Osgiliath, and then Maedhros would look within the Stone again to see if he could catch sight of the missing Palantír's position.

Maedhros had wanted to see the former capital of Gondor, not least because that was where the Palantír had gone missing, so they did not go south straight away but took the north-eastern road to the ruins of Osgiliath. Although some months had passed since the battle, death still seemed to hang in the air. Faramir and his men became quieter and grave the closer they came to the former capital. No doubt every single man following him knew at least one person who had fallen here.

"We are in no great hurry," Maedhros said quietly to Faramir. "We can stop here to honor and commemorate your fallen brothers."

Faramir looked ahead with a painfully still face. Then he nodded, and Maedhros had an idea that the young Steward was making this decision more for the benefit of his men than himself; but he had not lost any less than they.

They dismounted and hobbled their horses at an appropriate place. Then they walked into the maze of broken Stone. The orcs had taken no small amount of the walls and bricks for their siege machines. Even the heads of their comrades who had fallen here, Maedhros knew, had been launched into Minas Tirith to increase the fear of its citizens.

The bodies of men and orcs had been removed, for burial or burning. Many of them for the latter unless retrieved by their family in time; the entire Pelennor would have had to be turned into a graveyard to give everyone their own resting place.

Maedhros gave the men space for their grieving and walked through the former streets and buildings on his own nearby. He had walked here before when Osgiliath was still whole, but that was so long ago that much had probably changed before it had been destroyed. He did not know what King Elessar planned to do with the ruins. Perhaps, hopefully, he would restore the city to new glory. Even without having known the men who died here himself, not even knowing how many there had been exactly, Maedhros knew enough of war to have more than an idea of the carnage that had been wrought on this once proud city. It grieved him.

A song came to him from long ago, which Maglor had played after the Nirnaeth to remember their dead. Maedhros began to sing.

No Daeron, nor Maglor or Finrod was he; but most, if not all elves, had an at least passing voice, and he, too, had received lessons in music and singing in his youth. As Maglor's brother his performance had never been asked for. But there were instances were such things did not matter. This was one of them.

He continued walking as he sang, eventually reaching the place where the Anduin cut through Osgiliath. Here, the men had made their last stand before abandoning it. He did not need to be told that; he knew by the signs that remained even after many months. Words of Quenya flowed from his lips to a melody one did not need to know to recognize it as a song of mourning.

From the corner of his eyes he saw Faramir where he had not been before. The man crouched on the floor and dug one hand into the sandy ground. If he cried, the redhead did not see. He finished the song.

* * *

They left Osgiliath as planned and took not the Causeway which would lead them back to Minas Tirith, but instead followed the river directly and camped for the night where the wall Rammas Echor met the Anduin. The men were almost completely silent, lost in thoughts and memories. Faramir and Maedhros sat not far from them together, although they did not speak for a long time until Faramir said:

"Osgiliath is still the city of the dead. Few other places are as sad as that one, save perhaps the Dead Marshes. Frodo, the Hobbit, spoke to me of them, where men and elves and other creatures are forever buried in the swamps; there are lights there which lead travelers to their death. I hope that Osgiliath will not attract such lights."

"I myself have fought in those Marshes. I have felt no need nor desire to return hence, so I do not know where those lights come from. Frodo was very brave to go through the Marshes. I have lived in Middle-earth for many centuries, but even I did not see the strength that Gandalf saw in the race of hobbits. We have much to be grateful for to Gandalf, Frodo, Sam and also the others who went on the quest; including your brother. He showed great courage and a strong heart when he went on the quest even though he was not convinced by it. I know what it's like to lose a brother. I'm sorry for your loss."

"Even after such a long time, does it still hurt like a burn to have lost your brothers? I won't have as much time as you, your Highness, for my pain or my memories to fade."

"The memories don't fade. The pain… it will no longer be as sharp as it is now. You will remember the many happy hours, the joy, your childhood together, and even the sad hours, but all that time spent with your brother won't fade. You will always grieve his absence. But there will be a time when you will be able to see past the grief and find joy in the memories that you have of him."

Faramir drew in a stuttering breath. Maedhros rose and went to lie down his bedroll to sleep. Before he slept, he took out the Palantír and looked within it. He found the Seeing Stone they were looking for, but no new sights came to him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The next day they continued down the river. Faramir had suggested following it along the western banks, as the eastern were known better to him and he would be less likely to have forgotten about the place Maedhros had seen. Moreover, with the Rivers Celos, Sirith, and Erui to the west, there were already three smaller waters that ended in the Anduin and which could have formed a side arm of the great river.

Faramir, although appearing to have turned inward to think, nevertheless never missed a movement around him. His eyes, Maedhros noted, were very keen for a man. It was no surprise, then, that he was an accomplished archer.

From time to time, he pulled out Maedhros' drawing and compared it with the area they were currently traveling through. Their group was following the river at a slow pace both in order not to miss anything, and also because there was no reason for them to make great hurry. If the Stone had remained undiscovered for such a long time, it would be quite the coincidence indeed if it was taken before they arrived!

Lunch was taken at mid-day, a meager feast of dried venison, bread, cheese and fruit. Maedhros had considered fishing, but the river still needed time to recover from the war. It, too, had suffered, namely from poisonous bodies thrown into it. Although some fish swam around in it, Maedhros decided to spare them and give them a chance to repopulate. Faramir sat with Maedhros after asking him to remain in his company.

"I do not mind your company at all, Lord Faramir. Sit with me. You look like one who has more questions than time to ask them."

Faramir smiled crookedly.

"Believe me, your Highness, were I years younger you would not be able to answer them quickly enough. Moreover, you are not here to tell me stories as a child."

"I suppose not. For stories, however, you are better off asking my brother Makalaurë; he is much better at it and enjoys it more than I do, too."

"May I ask whether you plan to stay in Minas Tirith for some time then?"

"You will find out sooner or later anyway. We have not spoken of the details, Makalaurë and I. But he means to stay with Arwen for a while longer and then sail with Elrond and the other Wise to the West."

"Only he, not you as well?"

"I am not done with Middle-earth yet. I will go West, yes, but not yet. I plan to settle down in Imladris where Elrond's sons will rule. It will be a short rule, I deem. The Age of Men has come, and all elves that do not go to Valinor will eventually fade."

Faramir looked down. "I'm sorry to hear that."

Maedhros shrugged. "It is the way of the world. Since before the time of the sun have the Valar attempted to resettle all of the elven folk in their proximity in Valinor to spare us from evil. It was not to be, but Middle-earth is the land of men. Even the dwarves will burrow deeper and deeper into the earth until they, too, will not be seen about anymore."

"I would hope that there will be peace at last, but I know the Haradrim and the Easterlings, and they, at least, may return."

"You know more of them than I," Maedhros replied. "So I'm sure you have the right of it. Have you spoken to King Elessar about it?"

"Not yet. I have hardly anything to base my predictions on."

"Hardly anything? I would not say so. Your brother told the Council in Imladris how it was you who heard the dream of prophecy to come to the Hidden Valley more often than he. The blood of Númenor, the blood of Elros, is strong in you. I should know, for I raised Elros."

"Did you ever think he made the wrong decision when he chose mortality?"

"Perhaps I thought so in my anger at times. But all the same I knew that he did not choose lightly. In what way would he have been wrong? The only thing that matters is that he thought it was the right decision for _him_. What his descendants did wrong or right is hardly his responsibility. From what I heard, he never regretted his coming death."

"I will pray that our Queen will never find reason to regret her decision either."

"So do I. But it was her decision to make, and love is not the worst reason to die, I should think."

"Knowing love now as I do, I tend to agree."

"And there you are more experienced than I." Maedhros smiled crookedly. He regretted it, at times, that he had never loved as deeply as Maglor, Galadriel, Elrond, Elros, and so many others. But who knew, perhaps Valinor still had something in store for him.

* * *

Suddenly, the view was clear. He could see for miles all around him and deep into the earth. There it lay, the Seeing Stone of Osgiliath, and there he could see the mountains, Ithilien, Minas Tirith, Minas Ithil, the ruins of Barad-dûr, the sea, over there would be Valinor… His vision turned blank, replaced by whiteness so bright it blinded him.

 _Come_

 _Return_

 _Home_

"Prince Nelyafinwë! Maedhros!"

Maedhros blinked tears out of his eyes until the blurriness went away, and he could see Faramir bent over him.

"I know where it is," Maedhros said.

"Your Highness, are you well? You did not reply or move!"

"My sight went further than I expected, that is all." Maedhros sat up quickly, too quickly as a pounding behind his temples warned him. The man did not notice.

The Palantír he had used was lying next to him covered by Faramir's coat.

"Covering it is unnecessary now. The Stone which was in Barad-dûr is destroyed, and the Stone of Osgiliath is the only one which is not in the hands of men or elves. Make ready to ride. I only need to make a drawing-"

Before he could tear through his own bags to find parchment and coal, Faramir handed both items to him.

"Balan!" he called, and a young ranger followed his summons and came. "You have a good hand at drawing, you can help his Highness should he desire it."

He did not await a reaction from either one of them before leaving to break camp. The ranger, barely out of puberty, bit his lip nervously. Maedhros considered him for barely a second before thrusting the parchment and coal at him.

"You draw _exactly_ what I tell you to."

He might be able to fight with his left hand well enough to make orcs fear him, but drawing hadn't been his forte even with a healthy right hand.

In the end, Maedhros' instinct that he wouldn't need the drawing was right. In the afternoon they reached the creek the redhead now knew almost by heart. There was no hesitation in his movements, an almost unbelievable confidence as he strode to a particular place right into the waters without a care for his clothes.

"Lord Faramir!" he called, his one hand feeling something beneath the surface.

Faramir quickly rushed over.

"It's a bit stuck," Maedhros said.

Faramir reached in, one hand grazing Maedhros', and came upon a smooth, round surface. The Palantír. Faramir shuddered almost imperceptibly.

"You have the blood of Elros within you! The Palantír is just a tool, do not fear it! Serve your king and help me!" Maedhros commanded him; had he told Faramir to go into Sauron's lair with him, Faramir would have done it immediately and without hesitation. Now Faramir believed that Prince Fëanor had had the power to lead the elves astray into Middle-earth against the Valars' counsel.

The roots of water plants had kept the Palantír anchored to this spot. They gave way, and Faramir, with Maedhros' aid, lifted the Seeing Stone out of the waters. It was heavy, and Faramir alone, nor Maedhros with only one hand, would have been able to carry it, so they shared the load.

"There you are!" Maedhros said to the Palantír, a satisfied smile on his lips. To Faramir he added: "Thank you for your aid."

They sat in the sun to wait until their clothes dried. It was already afternoon, so they had chosen a place to make camp for the night, and only return to Gondor on the next day.

"How many Palantír did your father make?"

"Fifteen or so, I don't remember exactly. Why he made them, he never said. He created mostly for the sake of his craft. We, my brothers and I, initially received one each. I think he worried that we would not stay together as a family forever and wanted a convenient way to keep in touch. When we left Valinor, my father left one Stone with my mother; we lost one when my brother Celegorm's fortress was overrun. Others were lost in a similar manner until the War of Wrath. Later I gathered those which were left and gave them to Gil-galad, and he in turn gifted seven of them to the men. I'm sure you know what happened to those, but as you can see, the Númenórians were not the first to lose track of them."

"Did… did you ever contact your mother in Valinor?"

Maedhros shook his head. "No," he said belatedly.

* * *

Two days later they arrived back in Minas Tirith. People greeted them spontaneously, evidently happy to see that all of the men sent out had returned. So shortly after the war, they were still uncertain and their hopes very tentative. King Aragorn welcomed them in his throne room, yet he did not remain on the throne for very long as he greeted Faramir and Maedhros very warmly while advisers and other men present applauded politely. They were in for a surprise when Maedhros and Faramir passed two palantíri to the king, one of which was clearly larger than the other.

"The Palantír of Osgiliath has been returned!" Elessar declared loudly.

"And I, Nelyafinwë, son of Fëanor who created those Seeing Stones, leave them in good hands with King Elessar of Gondor and Arnor," Maedhros replied just as grandly. "The elves have no need of them. May they support you in your reign and warn you of dangers before they became a threat to the realms of men."

Maedhros stepped back and was quickly joined by his brother. They shared a smile, and Arwen also looked relieved and happy to see him.

"I have more news to announce," Elessar spoke up again. "I have decided to make Lord Faramir Prince of Ithilien; those lands, which I know are dear to him, will be his dominion, and I hope that he will establish a healthy colony there, together with Prince Legolas, son of King Thranduil of Eryn Lasgalen. He will bring any elf willing to Ithilien to settle." Giving Faramir a grin, the king added: "I am most confident that you and Prince Legolas will get along well."

Judging by Faramir's surprised but pleased expression, there was no doubt. If Maedhros had ever had doubts about the future of men, they were laid to rest at least for a moment. He knew now with even greater certainty that his work had come to an end.

* * *

 _This will the last or one of the last stories in the Lingering series._

 _I enjoyed creating the Lingering universe and writing in it, but over the years (I posted the first story in 2012), keeping track of the details of this universe got more and more difficult. Certainly the fact that I did not write chronologically didn't help, and not even such a sophisticated program as Scrivener could help me not lose track. The result was that I felt that the quality suffered._

 _As I was writing The Seeing Stones, I completely contradicted something from Wandering Days, so I was forced to change Wandering Days because I couldn't find another way out. That was when I decided that this story would be the last one in the series._

 _While the Protector doesn't have much of a plot that I would be disrupting, I will try and give it a more "final" ending._

 _Lingering has been a great honor and fun to write, and it was a great source and outlet of inspiration. Thank you for reading, and thank you for everyone's comments!_

 _If you are curious where I will be turning my inspiration next, I recently started another alternate universe series. It's called "The Woodland King" (kudos for Halo for finding a name!) and takes place during the events of the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings. **Loss** and **A New Era** are the first two stories in it, and you can check them out!_


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